Battery array rail assembly with tie bracket

ABSTRACT

A battery array according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a rail that supports a battery cell and a tie bracket connected to the rail and configured to limit travel of the rail.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/138,632, which was filed on Dec. 23, 2013.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to an electrified vehicle, and moreparticularly, but not exclusively, to a rail assembly for use with abattery array.

BACKGROUND

Electrified vehicles, such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEV's), plug-inhybrid electric vehicles (PHEV's), battery electric vehicles (BEV's), orfuel cell vehicles differ from conventional motor vehicles in that theyare powered by electric machines (i.e., electric motors and/orgenerators) instead of or in addition to an internal combustion engine.High voltage current for powering these types of electric machines istypically supplied by a high voltage traction battery system.

Electrified vehicle battery systems may employ one or more batterymodules that include a plurality of battery arrays. Each battery arrayincludes a plurality of battery cells that are supported relative to oneanother. The packaging of these battery arrays may benefit fromstructural energy management to maintain the integrity of the batterycells.

SUMMARY

A battery array according to an exemplary aspect of the presentdisclosure includes, among other things, a rail that supports a batterycell and a tie bracket connected to the rail and configured to limittravel of the rail.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing battery array, thetie bracket is welded to the rail.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of either of the forgoing batteryarrays, the tie bracket resists deflection between transverse portionsof the rail.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing batteryarrays, the tie bracket resists deflection of a lower flange toward anupper flange of the rail.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing batteryarrays, the tie bracket resists rotation of the rail.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing batteryarrays, the tie bracket resists deformation of the rail.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing batteryarrays, a plurality of tie brackets are mounted to the rail.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing batteryarrays, the tie bracket includes a first face, a second face transverseto the first face, and a stiffener wall that connects between the firstface and the second face.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing batteryarrays, a flange is connected to at least one of the first face and thesecond face.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing batteryarrays, the tie bracket includes a flange having a mounting portion thatmounts to the rail.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing batteryarrays, the rail includes a first wall and a second wall that extendstransversely from the first wall.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing batteryarrays, the rail includes a C-shaped body having an upper flangeconnected to a lower flange by at least one wall.

A battery module according to another exemplary aspect of the presentdisclosure includes, among other things, a rail assembly including anupper rail, a lower rail, a column that extends between the upper railand the lower rail and at least one tie bracket mounted to at least oneof the upper rail and the lower rail.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing battery module,the rail assembly is part of a battery array that includes a pluralityof battery cells supported by the rail assembly.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of either of the foregoing batterymodules, the at least one tie bracket is configured to limit travel ofat least one of the upper rail and the lower rail.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing batterymodules, the at least one tie bracket includes a first tie bracketmounted to the upper rail and a second tie bracket mounted to the lowerrail.

A method according to another exemplary aspect of the present disclosureincludes, among other things, limiting travel of a rail that supports abattery cell with a tie bracket.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing method, the methodof limiting travel includes resisting deflection of a lower flange ofthe rail toward an upper flange of the rail.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of either of the foregoing methods,the method of limiting travel includes resisting rotation or deformationof the rail.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods,the method includes mounting the tie bracket between walls or flanges ofthe rail.

The embodiments, examples and alternatives of the preceding paragraphs,the claims, or the following description and drawings, including any oftheir various aspects or respective individual features, may be takenindependently or in any combination. Features described in connectionwith one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments, unless suchfeatures are incompatible.

The various features and advantages of this disclosure will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can bebriefly described as follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a powertrain of an electrified vehicle.

FIG. 2 illustrates a battery module for an electrified vehicle.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a battery module.

FIG. 4 illustrates a rail assembly that can be used to support batterycells of a battery array.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a tie bracket according to a first embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a tie bracket according to another embodimentof the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure relates to a battery array for use within a batterymodule of an electrified vehicle. The battery array includes a railassembly that supports and retains one or more battery cells. The railassembly includes a tie bracket configured to act as a travel limiterfor cell retention in the battery array. These and other features arediscussed in greater detail herein.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a powertrain 10 of an electrifiedvehicle 12. The electrified vehicle 12 may be a HEV, PHEV, BEV or anyother vehicle type. In other words, this disclosure is not limited toany particular type of electrified vehicle.

The powertrain 10 includes a drive system having at least a motor 36(i.e., an electric machine) and a battery system 50. The battery system50 may include a high voltage battery that is capable of outputtingstored electrical power to operate the motor 36. Although not shown, thebattery system 50 may be made up of multiple battery modules with eachmodule including a plurality of battery arrays.

The drive system generates torque to drive or one more sets of vehicledrive wheels 30 of the electrified vehicle 12. For example, in anelectric-only mode of operating the electrified vehicle 12, the motor 36can be powered by the battery system 50 and employed to electricallydrive the vehicle drive wheels 30 by outputting torque to a shaft 46.

Of course, this view is highly schematic. It should be appreciated thatother components, including but not limited to an internal combustionengine, a generator, an engine disconnect clutch, a gearbox, a powertransfer unit, and/or one or more control systems could be employed bythe powertrain 10 for propelling the electrified vehicle 12 usingelectric-only power or with the assistance of engine power.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a battery module 60 that may be part of anelectrified vehicle battery system, such as the battery system 50 ofFIG. 1. In one embodiment, the battery module 60 is made up of amultitude of battery arrays 62. A total of four battery arrays 62 aredepicted in the illustrated embodiment. However, the specific number ofbattery arrays 62 that are part of the battery module 60 is not intendedto limit this disclosure.

Each battery array 62 of the battery module 60 includes a plurality ofbattery cells 64 and a rail assembly 66 that supports and retains thebattery cells 64. In one embodiment, the rail assembly 66 includes upperrails 68 and lower rails 70. One or more tie brackets 74 (see FIG. 3)may be mounted to the upper rails 68 and the lower rails 70 of each railassembly 66. As discussed in greater detail below, the tie brackets 74act as travel limiters that resist bending, rotation and/or displacementof the rails 68, 70 in order to substantially reduce the likelihood thatthe battery cells 64 become displaced from the rail assembly 66.

FIG. 4, with continued reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, illustrates anexemplary rail assembly 66 of a battery array 62. The battery cells 64have been removed from FIG. 4 for ease of reference. The rail assembly66 includes an upper rail 68, a lower rail 70 and columns 72 thatconnect between the upper rail 68 and the lower rail 70. In onenon-limiting embodiment, the columns 72 are fastened to each of theupper rail 68 and the lower rail 70 to construct the rail assembly 66.The specific number of columns 72 that connect between the upper rail 68and the lower rail 70 may vary based on the overall length of thebattery array 62, among other factors.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the upper rail 68 of the rail assembly66 is L-shaped and includes a first wall 80 and a second wall 82 thatextends transversely from the first wall 80. When mounted as part of thebattery array 62, the first wall 80 may be a vertical wall that extendsgenerally parallel to the battery cells 64 and the second wall 82 may bea horizontal wall that extends in a direction away from the batterycells 64 (see FIG. 3). The first wall 80 may include a flange 84 thatcan contact the battery cells 64 to support and retain them in place.

In another non-limiting embodiment, the lower rail 70 of the railassembly 66 includes a C-shaped body 86 that includes an upper flange88, a lower flange 90, and a wall 92 that connects the upper flange 88to the lower flange 90. Platforms 94 may extend from the lower flange 90for supporting tie brackets 74, as is further discussed below. Inaddition, the upper flange 88 can include an extension 89 that cancontact the battery cells 64 to support and retain them in place.

In one embodiment, as best illustrated in FIG. 4, a plurality of walls92 connect the upper flange 88 to the lower flange 90 of the lower rail70. A plurality of cooling openings 96 may extend between adjacent walls92. Airflow F may be freely communicated through the cooling openings 96to cool the battery cells 64 of the battery array 62. For example, thecooling openings 96 may be part of an air cooled thermal managementsystem of the battery array 62.

A gusset 76 may be disposed at each opposing end 98A, 98B of both theupper rail 68 and the lower rail 70 of the rail assembly 66. The gussets76 can be utilized to retain end plates (not shown) for packaging thebattery array 62. For example, end plates may be received by the gussets76 which apply a compressive force against the battery cells 64 at theopposing ends 98A, 98B.

One or more tie brackets 74 may be positioned relative to each of theupper rail 68 and the lower rail 70 of the rail assembly 66 forsupporting and retaining battery cells 64. The specific placement andnumber of tie brackets 74 incorporated into the rail assembly 66 isdesign dependent and may depend on the expected locations of deflectionor displacement of the rail assembly 66 and the overall length of thebattery array 62, among other factors. In one non-limiting embodiment,the tie brackets 74 are mounted adjacent to the mounting locations ofthe columns 72.

In one embodiment, the tie brackets 74 are welded to the upper rail 68and/or the lower rail 70. However, other attachment methodologies arealso contemplated.

With respect to the upper rail 68, the tie brackets 74 are mounted toextend between the first wall 80 and a second wall 82. In other words,the tie brackets 74 may be welded to both the first wall 80 and thesecond wall 82.

Tie brackets 74 may also extend between the upper flange 88 and thelower flange 90 of the lower rail 70. In one non-limiting embodiment,the tie brackets are mounted to both the platforms 94 and the extensions89 of the upper flange 88.

The tie brackets 74 act as travel limiters to limit displacement of thebattery cells 64 in response to an impact event at the battery module60. For example, a vehicle impact event can damage the battery module 60containing the battery arrays 62. The tie brackets 74 reduce thelikelihood of the battery cells 64 becoming displaced from the railassembly 66 in the event of a vehicle crash or other accident.

In one embodiment, the tie brackets 74 limit deflection of the upperrail 68 and the lower rail 70 of the rail assembly 66. For example, byway of a non-limiting embodiment, the tie brackets 74 may limitdeflection of the lower flange 90 in a direction toward the upper flange88 of the lower rail 70. In another non-limiting embodiment, the tiebrackets 74 resist rotation of the rail assembly 66 that may be causedby the collapse of one or more of the columns 72. In yet anotherembodiment, the tie brackets 74 may resist deformation of the upper andlower rails 68, 70 of the rail assembly 66 during an impact event.

It should be understood that the rail assembly 66 is not limited to theexact configurations shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. For example, the upperand lower rails 68, 70 of the rail assembly 66 may embody other sizes,shapes, and configurations within the scope of this disclosure.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a tie bracket 74 according to a firstembodiment of the present disclosure. The tie bracket 74 may be suitablefor use with either the upper rail 68 or the lower rail 70 of the railassembly 66 of FIG. 4. In this embodiment, the tie bracket 74 includes afirst face 100, a second face 102 that is transverse to the first face100, and a stiffener wall 104 that connects between the first face 100and the second face 102. Together, the first face 100, the second face102 and the stiffener wall 104 establish a monolithic structure.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the tie bracket 74 is made of a metallicmaterial. However, other materials are contemplated as within the scopeof this disclosure.

The stiffener wall 104 may be positioned on one side of the first andsecond faces 100, 102. The tie bracket 74 may include an open side 106opposite the stiffener wall 104. The stiffener wall 104 is generallytriangular shaped, in one non-limiting embodiment.

Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5A and 5B, the first face 100 and the secondface 102 of the tie bracket 74 may sit flush against respective surfacesof the upper and lower rails 68, 70 of the rail assembly 66. Forexample, in a first embodiment, the tie bracket 74 is mounted to theupper rail 68. The first face 100 may connect to the first wall 80 ofthe upper rail 68 and the second face 102 may connect to the second wall82 of the upper rail 68. In a second embodiment, the first face 100 mayconnect to the platform 94 of the lower flange 90 of the lower rail 70and the second face 102 may connect to the upper flange 88 of the lowerrail 70. Of course, tie brackets 74 may be employed by both the upperrail 68 and the lower rail 70 of the rail assembly 66 as shown in FIG.4.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a tie bracket 174 according to a secondexemplary embodiment of this disclosure. In this disclosure, likereference numbers designate like elements where appropriate andreference numerals with the addition of 100 or multiples thereofdesignate modified elements that are understood to incorporate the samefeatures and benefits of the corresponding original elements.

In this embodiment, the tie bracket 174 is similar to the tie bracket 74of FIGS. 5A and 5B with the exception that the tie bracket 174 includesa flange 108 in addition to the first face 100, the second face 102 andthe stiffener wall 104. The flange 108 may be connected to the open side106 of the tie bracket 174. In one embodiment, the flange 108 is weldedto the first face 100. In another embodiment, the flange 108 is weldedto the second face 102. In yet another embodiment, the flange 108 isconnected to both the first face 100 and the second face 102.

The flange 108 may be generally cradle-shaped and includes a firstmounting portion 110, a second mounting portion 112 and a connectingportion 114 that connects between the first mounting portion 110 and thesecond mounting portion 112. The first and second mounting portions 110,112 extend transversely from the connecting portion 114. The flange 108may include one or more openings 116 for mounting the flange 108 toother surfaces.

In one embodiment, the first mounting portion 110 mounts to a surface ofeither the upper rail 68 or the lower rail 70 (see FIG. 4), and thesecond mounting surface 112 may mount to a surface of the battery module60 to provide additional stability to the rail assembly 66 during avehicle impact event. The tie bracket 174 may be particularly suited foruse with the upper rail 68 of the rail assembly 66 of FIG. 4, althoughit is not limited to such use.

Although the different non-limiting embodiments are illustrated ashaving specific components or steps, the embodiments of this disclosureare not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to usesome of the components or features from any of the non-limitingembodiments in combination with features or components from any of theother non-limiting embodiments.

It should be understood that like reference numerals identifycorresponding or similar elements throughout the several drawings. Itshould be understood that although a particular component arrangement isdisclosed and illustrated in these exemplary embodiments, otherarrangements could also benefit from the teachings of this disclosure.

The foregoing description shall be interpreted as illustrative and notin any limiting sense. A worker of ordinary skill in the art wouldunderstand that certain modifications could come within the scope ofthis disclosure. For these reasons, the following claims should bestudied to determine the true scope and content of this disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A battery array, comprising: a rail that supportsa battery cell; and a tie bracket connected to said rail and configuredto limit travel of said rail, said tie bracket including a first face, asecond face transverse to said first face, and a stiffener wall thatconnects diagonally between said first face and said second face.
 2. Thebattery array as recited in claim 1, wherein said tie bracket is weldedto said rail.
 3. The battery array as recited in claim 1, wherein saidtie bracket resists deflection between transverse portions of said rail.4. The battery array as recited in claim 1, wherein said tie bracketresists deflection of a lower flange toward an upper flange of saidrail.
 5. The battery array as recited in claim 1, wherein said tiebracket resists rotation of said rail.
 6. The battery array as recitedin claim 1, wherein said tie bracket resists deformation of said rail.7. The battery array as recited in claim 1, comprising a plurality oftie brackets mounted to said rail.
 8. The battery array as recited inclaim 1, comprising a flange connected to at least one of said firstface and said second face.
 9. The battery array as recited in claim 1,wherein said tie bracket includes a flange having a mounting portionthat mounts to said rail.
 10. The battery array as recited in claim 1,wherein said rail includes a first wall and a second wall that extendstransversely from said first wall.
 11. The battery array as recited inclaim 1, wherein said rail includes a C-shaped body having an upperflange connected to a lower flange by at least one wall.
 12. The batteryarray as recited in claim 1, comprising a second rail spaced from saidrail and a second tie bracket mounted to said second rail, wherein acolumn extends between said rail and said second rail.
 13. The batteryarray as recited in claim 1, wherein said tie bracket is L-shaped. 14.The battery array as recited in claim 1, wherein said stiffener wall istriangular shaped.
 15. The battery array as recited in claim 1, whereinsaid stiffener wall diagonally extends diagonally from a first edge ofsaid first face to a second edge of said second face.
 16. The batteryarray as recited in claim 1, comprising a flange connected to said tiebracket on an open side opposite from said stiffener wall.
 17. A method,comprising: mounting a tie bracket to a rail of a battery array suchthat a first face of the tie bracket is secured to a first portion ofthe rail and a second face of the tie bracket is secured to a second,different portion of the rail; and limiting travel of the rail with thetie bracket.
 18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the step oflimiting travel includes resisting deflection of a lower flange of therail toward an upper flange of the rail.
 19. The method as recited inclaim 17, wherein the step of limiting travel includes resistingrotation or deformation of the rail.
 20. The method as recited in claim17, comprising mounting the tie bracket between walls or flanges of therail.